Pain and pleasure…

Just as the Roman God Janus had two faces, we often meet contradictory emotions. Like the old adage/story of the injured soldier saying “It only hurts when I laugh….”, or countless comedians sending multiple generations of audience into uncontrollable fits of laughter with their bumbling acts that inevitably leads to their suffering.

Starting from the slapstick days, this has gone on. Even the great Charlie Chaplin has been quoted often on this matter.

“My pain may be the reason for somebody’s laugh.
But my laugh must never be the reason for somebody’s pain.”

Charlie Chaplin

I was reminded of this when listening (for the n+1st time, I can truly never tire of hearing this immortal melody) to this fifty year old song. https://youtu.be/7wTQszT8TOs

The amazing music is by Kanu Roy, the most undercelebrated and most unassuming composer whose spartan skills are legendary. The lyrics are by Kapil Kumar. This is yet another movie that I would say one must see, if one has any sensitivity left.

Avishkaar was made by Basu Bhattacharya, who was married for a few decades to Bimal Roy‘s daughter Rinki. This, in my personal ranking, is easily the best movie of Basuda’s career. With a dream lead pair of Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, it is part of Basu Bhattacharya‘s trilogy on marital discord in an urban metrosexual setting, with an unimaginably profound introspective perspective along with Anubhav and Griha Pravesh. The other 2 movies in the trilogy had Sanjeev Kumar. Avishkaar is an unusual movie as it was a box office hit with the common movie going audience as well as erudite critics both going ga-ga over it with critics giving it five out of five stars. Rajesh Khanna wanted to act in the movie, so much so that he voluntarily took a 75% cut on his fees to be part of the project. Little wonder that he won the Filmfare for Best Actor for this role. He lives and acts the role of a disillusioned husband with all the minutiae. There is nothing trademark of the ‘Kaka‘ that we are well versed with, in this role, not one of his usual antics and mannerisms here. You only see Amar with all his personal frailties and foibles come alive on the screen. It must have being incredibly challenging for the raging romantic star of the times to want to do this role where he was not exactly the chocolate hero in the conventional sense. A challenge he took with brilliant outcomes.

Aavishkar is indisputably Rajesh Khanna’s film. His best role ever. Not Amar Prem, not Aap Ki Kasam, Aradhana, not Namak Haram, not even Khamoshi. His role is as deglammed and believable as Smita Patil’s in Gaman. One particular unforgettable sequence has him seen through a fog of cigarette smoke, Amar’s fixed gaze communicating the dullness of emotional fatigue after the complete shattering of his inner universe. When he speaks, his voice is low, and in two confrontational flashbacks with his hostile father-in-law, Khanna’s performance peaks. The superstar’s superb, nuanced performance in Basu Bhattacharya’s domestic drama is a revelation. He truly proves his unexplored talent at real emoting, no melodrama, pure, unbelievable acting, as never before nor after seen in an amazingly productive career over a score of years. An amazing movie with an equally fantastic ending. One must see the movie , an experience truly worth savouring, worth cherishing for a life time.

Look at the poignant lyrics

हंसने की चाह ने कितना मुझे रुलाया है
हंसने की चाह ने कितना मुझे रुलाया है
कोई हमदर्द नहीं दर्द मेरा साया है
हंसने की चाह ने कितना मुझे रुलाया है

दिल तो उलझा ही रहा जिंदगी की बातों में
साँसे जलती हैं कभी कभी रातों में
किसी की आह पर तारों को प्यार आया हे
कोई हमदर्द नहीं दर्द मेरा साया है
हंसने की चाह ने कितना मुझे रुलाया है

सपने चलते ही रहे रोज नयी राहों से
कोई फिसला है अभी अभी बाहों से
किस की ये आहटें ये कौन मुस्कुराया है
कोई हमदर्द नहीं दर्द मेरा साया है
हंसने की चाह ने कितना मुझे रुलाया है

Go ahead and enjoy Manna Dey‘s divine singing. Just eternal, this melody. I am in awe of the man, who despite never truly having been recognized as much as he deserved to be for his oeuvre, has given us many a classic melody in multiple genres.

I will definitely be lost in this one which will play in continuous loop in my head.

Stay safe, stay healthy and happy. Have an awesome week ahead

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